Prismatic Sepiida
Egg
Description
Spoiler
You can see movement inside this colorful egg!
Day:
MNight
MDescription
Spoiler
The first sign that prismatic sepiida eggs have hatched is typically bright flashes of colored lights, as the hatchlings waste no time in testing their magic. Most likely this is meant to quickly stun small prey, since young sepiidas are voracious eaters and will double their size every day until nearly grown. But it can also alert larger predators of an easy meal, and the parents only stay to guard their young for a few days after hatching. Sepiida hatchlings need to learn fast when and how to use their powers if they want to survive in the wild.
Morning:
MDay:
MEvening
MNight:
MDescription
Spoiler
While their growth slows as they reach maturity, prismatic sepiidas never really stop growing. There are even rumors of sailors seeing bright flashes from the depths that extend as far as the eye can see, though that is highly unlikely as most prismatic sepiidas are under two feet long. They tend to be social, but also very vain, insisting that they and everything around them be brightly colored. Magi who keep a prismatic sepiida in a tank are advised not to leave anything near it unless they want it tie-dyed - though that same tendency makes leaving someone's favorite robe near these tanks a favorite prank. Some daring people in Synara are turning this prank into a fashion trend by treating prismatic-dyed bolts of cloth with a preserving potion made with sepia sepiida ink, then turning the results into unique outfits.
Spoiler
While it is not uncommon for cephalopods to change colors to match their surroundings, the prismatic sepiida is the only one known to change its surroundings to match its own vibrant colors. Their magic allows them to manipulate the way light is reflected and absorbed by objects around them, altering their color and brightness or even making things glow in the dark. When threatened, this creates a dazzling display which can leave predators stunned or even blinded temporarily. More commonly, sepiidas will decorate their territory with brilliant colors and patterns, especially males trying to entice potential mates. These displays last longer than the defensive color bursts, sometimes for several weeks, but sepiidas tend to be nomadic and the area will revert to normal once they have moved on.
5 shard
Sepia Sepiida
Egg
Description
Spoiler
You can see a tiny creature in this egg!
M
FDescription
Spoiler
Compared to the huge size they will eventually attain, sepia sepiida hatchlings are impossibly tiny, smaller than the average thumbnail. They do not grow as fast as other sepiida species, and even young ones tend to be very patient and deliberate in anything they do. This has lead some people to theorize that sepia sepiidas are at least partially affected by their own magic, slowing their development and dampening any sense of urgency they might have. Fortunately for the hatchlings, sepia parents are likewise patient, and will raise their offspring until nearly grown rather than abandon them shortly after hatching as most sepiidas do.
M
FDescription
Spoiler
Sepia sepiidas can take decades to reach maturity, and no one knows just how long they can live. There are records of one being companion to a family for three generations before dying in the mage wars, and that one was already full grown when the family matriarch first adopted it. While not exactly social, they are willing to put up with a great deal of handling so long as they are not hurt, and show protective loyalty to people who consistently treat them well. But at the first sign of threat, they will stun the attacker with their ink and flee with surprising speed. The ink seems to be more potent when released in response to a threat, but the sepias placid nature means they can actually be milked with care, producing an ink with a milder preserving effect. It is highly recommended anyone wanting sepia ink get it through careful milking; people who have tried threatening sepia sepiidas for the more potent ink have been stunned by the captured creature and held under water until drowned.
Spoiler
Sepia sepiida are the oldest sepiida species known, and the largest, often rivaling the size of karcharos sharks. They are not as vibrant as most cephalopods, sticking to natural brown and green tones with only a few bright colors on their frills. Their ink is highly prized both for its distinctive red-brown color, and for its magical qualities that can preserve what it is used on in a kind of stasis. Predators who attack a sepia sepiida can be stunned for hours if caught in their ink pool, and art or writings that use sepia ink will last far longer than otherwise, even when exposed to harsh conditions. Magi in particular like to use the ink for drawing protective spells, as the preserving magic will ensure the wards hold for years to come.
Sprite art: Tekla| Description: Myrin
clicks appreciated (to hatchling only please) 
